Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 AM discuss HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD WITH SPORTS PERFORMANCE ANXIETY

Sports Performance Anxiety is more common with athletes than one might think. Our concern here relates to athletes specifically in elementary through high school and how parents can help them. With that said, the suggestions can relate to athletes of any age and whether playing an individual or team sport. Over the years I have worked with many parents who are amazed when a sporting activity their child previously loved has begun to cause them great anxiety to the point they are feeling miserable emotionally and often want to quit the sport entirely. Because I have worked with many athletes who have Sports Performance Anxiety,I can tell you it can be very emotionally devastating and can put a real cramp in the life of the person involved and their parents. The following are suggestions given to parents over the years I have found can be quite helpful for the child to reduce the anxiety to the point it is useful anxiety and not debilitating anxiety: 1.Accept anxiety is a common trait for any athlete. 2.Identify the symptoms and maybe unusual behaviors or changes in thinking that are showing your child is not behaving in their regular fashion. When this occurs,there is a need for positive parental intervention. 3. Develop a conversation with your child that is positive and not critical. The most loving and meaningful statements by a parent can be devastating to their child by being negative and making them fearful of their performance rather than helping them be their best. 4.Try to identify with your child by indicating any anxiety you have had in the past when involved with sports or other activities that have been stressful for you. This can develop a bond between the two of you that allows for conversation that does not put all the pressure on your child.5. Help yourself and your child realize if they can think themselves into being overly anxious that they have the ability to think themselves into being less anxious. As difficult of a concept as this may be for you or your child to understand, it is true and something that needs to be worked on and developed. 6.It is useful to have mantras that can be used to replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts. For example, if a child feels they cannot function effectively and will let the team down, they need to say they will try to do their best to help themselves and the team be at their best.7. Deep breathing is a timeless procedure to use when a person is feeling anxious,stressed out and needs to relax. Just breathing in and breathing out deeply over and over again while thinking a positive mantra can be very helpful to an individual.8. Help your child realize their job on the team is to try to use all the skills and training they have learned to do the best job they can. This will not always lead to the level of success they desire; however, if this is done and understood they will realize they are achieving and helping the team as best they can. 9. Help your child have realistic expectations for what they can do and encourage them within their abilities to do the best they can. This recognition and acceptance of ability with maximal opportunity for development can positively be used to help your child function to the best ability that is possible. 10.If you feel you need outside help,seek out an experienced therapist who can help you with Sports Performance Anxiety.